Saving Himself
by DaisyPhantom
Summary: Some things are better left unsaid. Others require a lot of explanation. But what if Barnaby doesn't feel like talking? And just how long does he plan on leaving Kotetsu in the dark? Now he has to decide on saving himself or letting him in. TigerxBunny
1. The Ones That Care

In this world, there are two types of heroes: The ones that care, and the ones that don't. When I first met Bunny, I already knew from the start what kind of hero he would turn out to be. I just hoped that he would prove me wrong.

I was amazed at the sheer amount of strength he had. Not just from fighting, but from how long he had to suffer without his parents being alive. It was a difficult thing to handle, and I couldn't help but feel a little bit of sympathy for him. He's told me many times not to feel sorry for him, but I did anyway. In fact, when it came to Bunny, I did a lot of things that I shouldn't have. Like fall madly in love with him.

My name's Tiger. I've been at this "hero" thing for quite some time now, and frankly, there's nothing that I'd rather be doing. For some of us, it comes naturally, but for others, it becomes a challenge. For me, it started to become challenging when Bunny arrived. I found myself stumbling into walls and not looking where I was going because I was so distracted by his presence. Who _was_ this kid?

It seemed like he had just come out of nowhere, and then he ended up being my partner. I was so against it at first, but if working together with him meant that I got to keep my job and continue saving people, then I had no right to complain.

Every time I looked at Bunny, I felt the sudden urge to get to know him better. And every time he looked back at me, he shot me down with those eyes that said "You will never know me." And that hurt more than anything. But I was determined to break down that wall we had in between us.

So far, though, I wasn't doing such a great job. He told me that I was always getting in his way, and that I wasn't cut out for this sort of thing anymore. But it bothered me to see that, unlike me, he was only in this for the points, and to make himself look good. I wanted more for him and I wanted to do more _for_ him, but that was hard to accomplish when his actions were so selfish.

Bunny kept himself blocked off from the rest of us, which was understandable since we were all technically rivals. But shouldn't the fact that we're all using our powers to help other people bring us all together? Apparently, he didn't see it that way. And I was starting to think that he never would.

Everyone else gave up on him, but with me being his partner and all, I never did. Now that I think about it, I don't think it was just because I was his partner. I think it was something more. There was an indescribably strong force that pulled me towards him. I was drawn to Bunny, in each and every way. Sure, I had a daughter and a family, and a wife at one point, but he had nothing, and I wanted to be something for him. It just so happened that the "something" I had in mind didn't involve being just his friend.

I wanted to be his lover.

But that, too, seemed impossible when he thought of me as nothing more than a nuisance. How was I going to get Bunny to see how much I loved him, and to get him to love me too?

Days went by, and I could see that it was becoming harder and harder for him to put up with me. I hated being the one who was bringing him down, especially when I was trying to lift him up. Later on I learned that it wasn't me, but his life in general, and that he had been taking it out on me. He truly did want to start a relationship with me, and for that I was glad. And I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I felt like there was something I was missing.

And then I figured it out.

He was starting to lose his edge. Week after week, he became less motivated, less focused, and less driven than I'd ever seen him before. And knowing Bunny, that's saying something. I could tell that he didn't want to do this anymore. So one day, he walked away from it all. I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen. When Bunny makes up his mind about something, there's no changing it. And that's the part that scared me the most. What if I never saw him again? At this point, I _needed_ him in my life. He was irreplaceable, and so was my love for him. But I guess I would just have to move on and face the fact that there were two types of heroes in this world. The ones that care and the ones that don't. When I first met Bunny, I already knew from the start what kind of hero he would turn out to be. It just so happened that he proved me right.

**Hi, I'm Daisy. You're probably thinking "What the hell did I just read?" This is a result of me writing this in one day, and not finishing the whole anime series. I guess you could call this a one-shot for now. When I finish the series, you can bet I'll give you better chapters that make sense. So until then, please root for me! :]**


	2. Isn't That Enough

_Hey, Bunny, I've always wondered something about you.._

"Hey, Dad, when are you coming home?"

"Uh… well... you see…" Kotetsu stuttered, wondering how he was going to talk his way out of this one. It was always like this: Kaede would call, Kotetsu would pick up, and the conversation would somehow end with his daughter asking this question. Normally, Kotetsu's answer would either be straight forward, or some other excuse like "Something suddenly came up." But lately, Kaede was getting tired of the same dumb excuses, growing more bitter and more irritable as time went on.

"Bye!" she screamed angrily, slamming the phone down before he could finish.

"Kaede! Wait, Kaede!" Kotetsu shouted at the now vacant phone screen.

'_Honestly…' _he sighed, running a hand through his hair and getting up off the couch he was sitting on. _'If only she knew that I was a-'_

Suddenly, Kotetsu's bracelet started glowing, warning him that there was an emergency.

"I guess I'll have to worry about that later…"

* * *

><p>"Hey, what's going on?" Tiger asked, as he ran to the other heroes, now in his suit.<p>

"Tiger-san!" Origami waved, forgetting that they were filming, then realized that he sounded out of character and quickly put his hand down.

"Where's Handsome?" Fire Emblem wondered, putting a hand on his hip.

"Who?" Tiger flipped his cover off, revealing his mask and scratching his head.

"Barnaby. He means Barnaby. Your partner…" Dragon Kid took a couple of steps towards him.

"Don't tell me you guys had another fight?" Blue Rose rolled her eyes. "How typical."

"Um… well… you see…" Tiger laughed nervously, looking away.

"What'd you do _this_ time?" asked Rock Bison.

"Hey! What makes you think that _I_ did something?"

"Bonjour, heroes…" Greeted Agnes Joubert, the producer of Hero TV, as her voice came on unexpectedly. She tried calling everyone's attention again, seeing as how they were too wrapped up in their conversations to really focus on her announcement. "Excuse me!" she barked louder, and everybody stopped talking to hear her.

"Sorry, ma'am." Sky High bowed deeply, apologizing on everyone else's behalf.

"Now then, listen carefully. There's been a robbery downtown. An unidentified NEXT with lethal powers has taken the people inside the bank hostage. I need half of you to catch the culprit, and the other half to save the.. Hold on a minute. Where's Barnaby?"

The heroes looked around, shrugging.

"Tiger?" Agnes asked, now talking so that only he could hear her.

Tiger said nothing, looking down. Clenching his fists, he activated his Hundred-Power, and took off, flying away into the other direction.

"What? Where's he going?" Agnes growled, banging the desk in the room where she was watching the Hero TV playback screen from, with the other staff members.

"We don't have time to worry about that. Let's just go…" Blue Rose sighed, looking back after Tiger sadly.

Once Kotetsu changed out of his suit, he called a cab, frantically trying to call Barnaby. He didn't answer.

"Let me out right here," he requested, handing some money to the driver and stepping out in front of Barnaby's place. Knowing ringing the doorbell or knocking wouldn't do any good, he broke the handle off and barged right in.

Kotetsu took very light steps when entering, slowly lurking around each corner. Then, out of nowhere, as soon as he turned his head, he got slammed in the face with a frying pan, falling flat on his back.

"Ow!" he rubbed his head, closing his eyes in pain. He sat up and saw Barnaby standing over him, glowing blue and holding the frying pan in his hands. Kotetsu quickly rose to his feet after seeing him.

"Why'd you hit me?"

"Why are you in my house?"

"I asked you first!"

"I don't care!" tossing the pan on the floor, Barnaby crossed his arms over his chest, waiting on Kotetsu's answer.

"I just wanted to check up on you-"

"Nobody asked you to do that! Just in case you forgot, I don't want to be a hero anymore! I don't care, I quit! So just stay out of my life and leave me alone!" Barnaby picked the frying pan back up and went to go walk into the kitchen, with Kotetsu following.

"Yeah, um, just to be sure… You didn't quit on _us_, did you?"

Barnaby fell silent, gripping the panhandle so hard that it snapped in half.

"Whoa, hey, wait, calm down.." Kotetsu grabbed onto his shoulders, but Barnaby shook him off. "Bunny, what gives? I thought that we were both in this together?"

"I don't trust you."

Kotetsu's eyebrows pulled together in confusion. It hurt to hear him say that more than anything else in the world. "I know I haven't exactly been the best partner to you, but I think I make up for it by caring about you so much." He drew closer to him, wrapping his arms around his waist from behind. Barnaby didn't move, still glowing blue.

Kotetsu continued. "And I know you like me too, because you're not pushing me away or telling me to let go. You want this just as much as I do, so why won't you just be with me?"

"Why do you… like me so much, anyway?"

"Eh?" Kotetsu released his hands from around him, as Barnaby turned around, waiting on an answer from him.

"Um… well… you see…" Kotetsu's mind drew a blank, as he got lost in Barnaby's bright blue eyes, which were fading slightly as his time ran out. "Why did you activate your powers, anyway?"

"Because I thought someone was breaking in."

"So… you… hit me with a _frying_ pan? Out of all things?"

Barnaby took off his glasses impatiently. "Stop changing the subject and answer me."

"Oh, right." Kotetsu smiled awkwardly. "I'm… not really sure. All I know is that I'm in love with you, Bunny. Isn't that enough?"

"My name's not Bunny. It's Barnaby. Why would I let you call me such a special nickname like that when you can't even tell me why you love me in the first place?"

"Uh… Bunny? Are you mad?" Kotetsu wondered, looking down cautiously at Barnaby's hand, which now had a pair of broken glasses in them.

"Mad? No? Why would I be mad? And I thought I told you to stop calling me—" he stopped talking, realizing what he had done. He unclenched his hand, letting the broken pieces of glass drop to the ground; along with little drops of blood.

"Um… Is everything going to be alright?" Kotetsu frowned, worrying.

"It's okay. I have five more pairs of the same glasses."

"Um… I meant your _hand_." He raised an eyebrow, scratching his beard.

"Relax, old man, I'll be fine. You can go home now, unless…" Barnaby looked at him straight in the eye. "Unless there was something you wanted to ask me…?"

"Actually, yeah, there is.." Kotetsu blushed, wondering how he was going to word his question.

_Do you _really _have five pairs of the exact same glasses?_


	3. I Can Pretend

_Y'know, Bunny, I think I'm finally starting to get you..._

"I came here to ask you to come back. I can't do this without you. You knew that, and yet you still left. There's no point in being a hero if my partner isn't there right beside me. So _please_, come back." Kotetsu got on his knees, bowing before Barnaby's feet.

"Get up, old man. You're embarrassing yourself. Besides, it's too late—" Barnaby's sentence got cut short, as Kotetsu suddenly grabbed hold of his leg.

"I'm begging you… Barnaby… I need you to understand how much you mean to me."

"Stand up."

Kotetsu slowly rose to his feet, following Barnaby's orders.

"I'm not so sure what you see in me, but for now.." he averted his eyes, not finishing the rest of his statement.

Kotetsu didn't need Barnaby to finish to understand what he meant. Grinning, he embraced Barnaby in the tightest hug he could manage. Barnaby rolled his eyes, pushing him off.

"This calls for a celebration! I'll go get some drinks!" Kotetsu yelled cheerily, running out the door. "Be right back!"

"Take your time. Literally." Barnaby shut the door after him, taking a seat in a chair and clicking on the TV with a remote control. The Hero TV announcer guy's voice boomed all around the halls, louder than usual.

"It seems we've got a sticky situation on our hands! Just when you thought it was over, and when it seemed as if the heroes had everything under control, a surprise twist appears!"

Barnaby found himself leaning in closer, drawn to the events on the screen. He was so focused that he didn't even turn away when Kotetsu suddenly came bursting back in.

"Hey.. Bunny.. Mind lending me a few dollars?" he laughed nervously, walking in and leaning his arm on the chair Barnaby was sitting in.

"We might have to call off our little 'celebration'…" Barnaby said, trying to hide the disappointment in his voice.

"How come? Did something happen?"

Without saying a word, Barnaby limply pointed a finger to the TV, and Kotetsu's eyes followed, growing bigger as he realized what was happening.

"Kaede?"

Not wasting another minute, they both sprung into action.

* * *

><p>"Well, look who just showed up onto the scene! Wild Tiger, Crusher of Justice, and his partner Barnaby Brooks Jr., who worried us with a sudden disappearance, are now here and ready to go!"<p>

"Eh? Tiger's back?" Blue Rose's eyes lit up, as she watched the duo pull up in their two-seater.

"Don't you mean to say 'Barnaby's back'?" Fire Emblem nudged her arm.

"Oh… Right. Yeah! Barnaby's back!" Smiling, Blue Rose tried to play it off as best she could, but everyone could see right through it. Tiger was the only one she cared about.

Hoping out, Tiger and Barnaby ran towards most of the other heroes, in front of the burning building.

"Where is she?" Tiger asked frantically, looking back and forth.

"Where is who? Rock Bison and Sky High are trying to save the people inside-"

"I meant KAEDE! Where's Kaede!"

"Calm down! Don't yell at her!" Barnaby stood in front of Blue Rose protectively. "She didn't do anything! I know you're upset, but she's not the one to take it out on."

"Well then…" Tiger glared, cracking his knuckles and preparing himself. "I guess I'll just have to take it out on the person who's standing in front of me."

"What good would it do if you hit me? Your powers aren't gonna come back yet, and I know you just used them recently."

"Then why am I even here?" he growled, kicking the ground and throwing his hands up in frustration.

"You're overreacting. Just seconds ago, you were happier than ever. And now…" Barnaby took a few steps towards him, reaching out to touch his face, but Tiger swatted his hand away.

"That was before I found out that my daughter was trapped in a burning building! You can tell me to calm down when you have kids and when you've experienced what I've been through! But you haven't, so maybe you should shut your mouth!"

"Tiger! Stop!" Dragon Kid and Fire Emblem both reached out to hold him back before he did something drastic.

"It's okay," Barnaby held his hands up, like he was surrendering. "He's just worried about Kaede. He won't hurt me…" Moving closer to him, he lifted up Tiger's cover and his own to stare into his eyes. "Right, Tiger?"

Tiger clenched his teeth in anger, and then softened his expression when Barnaby leaned in to kiss him lightly on the lips.

Everyone looked on in horror, confusion and disbelief as they watched the two go at it. Millions of people watching the screen on giant buildings stared in wide-eyed confusion as they witnessed the heroes sharing a tender moment.

"Is… is this foreal…?" Blue Rose felt a chill run down her spine, heart broken.

"You know," Barnaby started after he was finished, holding Tiger's hand, "I never really understood why you were still so nice to me, even after I put in my best effort to be mean. I wondered why you never hated me back, even though I made it clear that I wanted nothing to do with you. But I'm slowly starting to realize that the only reason I was so cruel to you was because I loved you. I was scared, and I didn't want to let anybody in, so I made you think that you were bothering me and bringing me down. I'm sorry. The truth is… I need you just as much as you need me."

Tiger couldn't believe it. Was this really Bunny talking?

"I thought you couldn't stand me…"

Barnaby smiled, giving Tiger a hug and whispering in his ear. "I'm good at pretending."

_Just when I thought I had you all figured out… You go and do something like this…_

**Why is Tiger so angry? Why was Kaede was in a burning building in the first place? Why did Barnaby decide to kiss him on national television? Tune in next time. ^^**


	4. Bunnies Are Red

_Hey, Bunny, I'm sure you've noticed by now, but…_

"So, gentlemen, what made you think it was such a good idea to go and kiss like that in front of everyone on national television?" Mr. Lloyds said calmly, trying to mask his frustration. Kotetsu and Barnaby had both been called into his office the next day after the burning building incident had been taken care of. Kaede, Kotetsu's daughter, had survived with light injuries and was currently recovering in the hospital.

"Um… well… y'see…" Kotetsu looked away, not being able to give him an answer.

"It's my fault, sir. I couldn't help myself. I'll take full responsibility." Barnaby bowed, taking Kotetsu's hat off and pushing his head down, forcing him to bow along with him.

"But _why_ did you do it?"

"I needed a way to calm him down. Kissing him was just my first reaction."

Mr. Lloyds sighed, standing up and placing his hands on the desk. "I will not allow my clients to have a romantic relationship together, period. It looks bad for our company. Do you have any idea how many angry phone calls I've gotten? And what about your fan base? What will they think of this? You'll lose their trust very easily if you continue this type of behavior."

"But sir-!" Kotetsu tried to argue, but Mr. Lloyds cut him off.

"If you don't like it, you can quit."

* * *

><p>"I can't believe we got scolded so harshly," Kotetsu sighed, kicking off his shoes and lying down on his couch. "Still, I didn't expect you to take the heat like that."<p>

"Like I'd ever let you get in trouble for _my_ mistake." Barnaby said, wandering around Kotetsu's house and fiddling with miscellaneous items. He picked up a picture of him and his wife and Barnaby found himself frowning, not really sure why.

"So you're saying kissing me was a mistake, eh?"

"You know that's not how I meant it," putting the picture down, Barnaby went over to sit next to the older man, raising his legs over so that they were now on the younger one's lap. "You're so stupidly honest and always smiling like an idiot. I didn't trust you to come up with an excuse."

"But you're so straight-forward and innocent that you ended up telling him the truth, anyway! How is that any better than anything I would have come up with?"

"Heh, I guess it's not."

"You know, I hope your random act of kindness doesn't end up hurting you in the long run. I mean, out of all of us, your reputation is the one that needs to be protected the most. You're the ideal pretty boy. If I were a teenage girl, I'd be really upset if I found out that—"Barnaby silenced Kotetsu with a kiss, climbing on top of him.

"You talk too much. Give it a rest, will you? I like who I like, so there. I'm not worried about what anyone else says or what anyone else sees me doing. The only person who I'm worried about is _you_."

Kotetsu was at a loss for words, turning red.

Barnaby smiled, sitting up again. "You're so cute, Kotetsu-san."

"Eh?" the brunette sat up as well, leaning in closer to Barnaby's face and pushing his hands into his thighs for support. "What'd you just say?"

"I called you cute."

"No, no," he shook his head so fast that his hat came flying off. "The other thing!"

"Uh…" Barnaby tried to remember. "I think I called you by your name."

Kotetsu beamed, leaning up against Barnaby and putting his head on his shoulder. "That's the first time you've called me that. It makes me really happy."

"Then you must be really easy to please," Barnaby kissed the top of his head, putting an arm around him.

"Maybe. But you know, I really do love you, Bunny."

"I know," he replied, stroking Kotetsu's hair.

'_Just don't get too comfortable with me…'_

* * *

><p>"So that's it, huh? It's official? You're dating him?" Karina took the towel wrapped around her neck and threw it on the floor. "Honestly…"<p>

"Sounds like someone's jealous." Nathan clasped his hands together teasingly.

Karina's face grew hot, as she stared Kotetsu in the face. They were all at the gym, doing their daily work out as usual.

Kotetsu glanced over at Barnaby, who was farther away lifting weights on a bench. "I guess you could say that…"

"How exciting! When did this happen?" Pao-Lin rushed over to where the other heroes were, along with Ivan.

"Congratulations, Tiger-san!"  
>"I always knew you two would end up together," Antonio grinned, putting an arm around Kotetsu.<p>

"Eh, really? Was I that obvious?" he chuckled nervously, blushing ever so slightly.

"Of course! He is your partner, after all."

"Plus, there's the way that you look at him whenever he says something to you. It's like you're so entranced at how beautiful he is, you miss what he's saying completely, and all you can do is stare." Keith grinned as well; putting his arm around Kotetsu's other shoulder.

"Okay, now you guys are just embarrassing me…"

"Embarrassing, is it? You _should_ be embarrassed! While you're off playing house with your much younger boyfriend, the rest of us are taking our jobs seriously!"  
>"Hold on a second, Blue Rose!" Kotetsu shouted, shaking off Keith and Antonio to take a step closer to the blonde beauty. "What's so embarrassing about being in love? Huh? Tell me!"<p>

"Well… I … Uh…" Karina stuttered, taking several steps back as Kotetsu kept approaching her.

"And when did I ever say that I wasn't taking my job seriously? You're one to talk! You don't even want to be here! You'd rather be a singer, am I right?" Kotetsu put both his hands over his mouth, realizing that he wasn't supposed to reveal anything about that.

Holding her breath, she ran away in the other direction.

"Rose, wait!" he stretched a hand out to her, but it was no use. The damage had already been done.

Seconds later, Barnaby appeared beside Kotetsu, wrapping his arm around his waist. "What's wrong, dear?"

"Karina wants to be a singer? How come I haven't heard anything about that?" Ivan wondered, glancing at Pao-Lin, who was wondering the same thing.

"Oy, Kotetsu," Antonio started, punching him lightly in the arm. "You talk too much."

"Yeah, it's starting to become a problem, isn't it?" Kotetsu said sarcastically, going after Karina.

_I don't pay attention to other people's feelings very well… do I?_

**What the hell does "playing house" mean? xD**


	5. Roses Are Blue

_I've decided on something just now, Bunny-chan…_

"Hey, Rose, wait!" Kotetsu shouted, chasing after Karina.

"No! Stay away from me!" she turned a corner, only to find it was a dead end.

"Now I've got you…" he said calmly, slowing down from a sprint to a stroll in mere seconds.

"What do you want? I've got nothing to say to you!" Karina pouted, crossing her arms over her chest and sticking her nose up in the air.

"Heh. I bet you've got at least two or three things you'd like to say to me. Well, go ahead. I'm all ears," Kotetsu sat down on the ground, criss-cross applesauce.

Karina lowered her head, clenching her fists. "I don't like it."

"Huh?" Kotetsu blinked. "Don't like what?"

"I don't like you being together with him! I don't like how you blurted out my secret! I don't like anything about you!"

Standing up now, Kotetsu made his way over to Karina, towering over her petite frame.

"Is that so? Maybe the first one is true, and maybe I believe the second one, but the third one… Not so much…"

'_Uh-oh…' _Karina thought, her throat suddenly dry with worry. _'Has he figured out that I like him?'_

"W-what makes you think that…?"

"Because. Nobody hates me." He grinned, sure of himself.

Karina sighed, walking away. "You know, for a second there, I thought maybe you had finally started to use that brain of yours. It turns out you don't even have a brain."

* * *

><p>"Hey, Bunny…" Kotetsu started, leaning against the door frame as Barnaby was in the kitchen making dinner.<p>

"What is it, love?" he asked, flipping some hamburger meat in a pan.

"Um, not that I mind or anything, but what's gotten into you all of a sudden?"

"What do you mean?" Barnaby asked again, completely oblivious.

Kotetsu walked over to his side to explain. "I mean you've been calling me all these lovey-dovey nicknames recently… I was just wondering why."

"Well, why not? We _are _dating after all."

"Heh. 'Dating'. It feels weird to hear you say that. Having it come from your mouth makes it seem so real."

"Oh? You should go wash your hands," Barnaby advised, changing the subject and taking his apron off. "It's time for dinner."

"Alright," he said, sprinting to the bathroom. While he was gone, Barnaby took the liberty of squashing Kotetsu's hamburgers for him, one by one. When he came back, Barnaby handed him the plate.

"What's this?" he asked, looking at the food suspiciously.

"It's dinner." Barnaby answered, as-a-matter-of-factly.

"No, I mean… Why are they all smashed like this?"

"Because that's the way you like them, isn't it?" Barnaby looked confused. "Did I get it wrong?"

"No no no no no!" Kotetsu waved his hands frantically, reassuring him. "You didn't do anything wrong, it's just that… You caught me off guard, that's all. I mean, how did you know to do that?"

"I've been watching you closely. I pay attention to your every move. The way you walk, the way you bother people when you're bored, the tone of your voice- everything."

Kotetsu blinked, pointing to himself. "What? I bother people? That's not true. Everyone loves me." He took a bite of his hamburger, walking into the dining room.

"Well, at least I do," Barnaby tried not to laugh, pouring them both some wine and bringing it back to the table. "But I'm starting to get the feeling that I'm not the only one…"

"Hm?" Kotetsu looked up from his burger, setting it down and swallowing. "What?"

"Nothing…" Barnaby looked down, taking a small sip from his glass.

"No, tell me." He reached across the table to hold Barnaby's hand. "No keeping secrets from each other."

He chuckled a little. "Is that a rule?"

"It's _our_ rule." Kotetsu was dead serious, looking his boyfriend straight in the eyes.

"Alright, you can let go now. I'll tell."

"Who said I wanted to let go?"

Barnaby rolled his eyes and smiled, continuing. "I was just getting the feeling that Karina might like you as well."

"Blue Rose? Well, of course she likes me! I mean, we have our fights sometimes, but-"

"No." Barnaby cut him off. "I mean she _really_ likes you." His face was now cold and hard, the smile he once had now disappearing.

"Oh. Er… What makes you say that?"

Angrily, he let go of his hand, getting up to walk away.

"Wait, Bunny! You didn't even touch any of your food yet!"

"I'm not hungry. You can have it." Barnaby called back, shutting the door to his bedroom.

Kotetsu glanced at Barnaby's plate, tempted.

"_Well, if you're offering it to me, at least flatten them first. Wait, what am I saying?'_

He quickly got up, coming to his senses and opening the bedroom door.

"What's wrong, Bunny? Why are you so mad?" Kotetsu lay next to him on the bed.

Barnaby pulled the covers over his head. "Leave me alone."

"As if I could ever dream about doing that," he stated, going under with him.

In an instant, Barnaby kicked him in the face, and Kotetsu rolled off the bed with a _thud!_

"Yeesh, Bunny… That's some kick you've got there…" Kotetsu laughed, rubbing his nose.

Barnaby poked his head out from under. "S… Sorry…" he moped. "It's a habit."

"And a very bad one, at that." Kotetsu grinned, and Barnaby grinned along with him.

"Ha!" Standing up, the older man pointed a finger at Barnaby. "I got you to smile!"

Blushing, Barnaby hid his head back under the covers, just as Kotetsu took them off and got on top of him.

"Bunny… Answer my question. Why'd you get so upset?"

Barnaby turned his head away, still flustered. "Just promise me that you won't fall in love with her…"

"Eh?" an eyebrow raised on Kotetsu's tan face. "Why would I wanna do that?"

Barnaby stayed silent, and then Kotetsu figured out what he meant.

"What makes you think I'd ever love her the same way that I love you?"

"But-"

"Shh…" Kotetsu silenced him with a small peck on the lips. "You're the only one I care about. You know that. So don't feel jealous."

"I'm not jealous," lied Barnaby. "I just… I was worried that you'd leave me…"

"Well, now you know how I felt when you left. But I'd hardly call us even…" he slowly started to un-zip Barnaby's jacket, as Barnaby sat up to loosen Kotetsu's tie.

"Will you go easy on me?" the younger man requested, realizing what was about to happen as Kotetsu took his glasses off and placed them on the table.

"Yeah, right. They don't call me 'Wild Tiger' for nothing."

"Somehow I was expecting you to say that," Barnaby bit down on his lip, grabbing the sheets and preparing for the worst.

_Regardless of my name, I'm going to protect you, no matter what._

_But in the bedroom… Well, that's a different story…_


	6. Rivals

_Bunny, I've come to realize something._

Once morning came, the sunlight shone though the blinds of the windows in Barnaby's bedroom, hitting Kotetsu in the face. He opened one eye, and glanced down to find Barnaby resting peacefully on his chest.

'_Forgive me, Bunny_…' he thought, slowly getting up to replace himself with something softer. _'I didn't really go easy on you, did I?'_

Barnaby sat up immediately when he realized that the pillow he was suddenly laying on was not his boyfriend's warm upper body.

"Sorry! I didn't think you'd be able to notice..." Kotetsu looked apologetic, smiling awkwardly.

"It's a big difference." Barnaby glared, getting out of bed to go into the bathroom.

"Hey, Bunny! Are you about to take a shower? Let me join you!"

"No, thanks," he declined, slamming the door.

"Oh, come on! Are you still mad about last night? I wasn't _that_ rough on you, was I?" Kotetsu whined, just as he received an incoming phone call. It was from Karina.

"Hiiii~!" Karina greeted.

"Hi, Blue Rose. You're awfully chipper this morning. Did you need something?"

"I just wanted to say I forgive you for telling everyone my secret the other day."

"It wasn't much of a secret, Rose. At least half of us knew. Anyway, can I maybe call you back later? Now's not exactly a good time…" He took a glance at Barnaby, who was peeking his head out from the crack of the door, eavesdropping. He quickly shut it when he saw that Kotetsu was watching him. Kotetsu sighed, bringing his attention back to the conversation.

"Are you trying to get rid of me? Fine, then I'll make this short and sweet: I'm throwing a pool party today, and I'm inviting both you and your… boyfriend…" she paused when she hit that last word.

"Y'know, if you don't like saying it, you could always just use his _real_ name."

"Just don't be late," Karina huffed, hanging up the phone.

* * *

><p>"Why are we here again?" Barnaby groaned, as he and Kotetsu stood in front of Karina's door step.<p>

"Because! Parties are fun. This could be considered our first real date, y'know? Plus, it gives me an excuse to see you in that bathing suit." Kotetsu licked his lips suggestively, eyeing Barnaby up and down in nothing but an un-buttoned black shirt and a pink-coloured Speedo. "You look really sexy."

"Ah, I wish I could say the same for you," Barnaby adjusted his glasses, eyeing Kotetsu's old-fashioned blue and white striped one-piece. "You look really _silly_. And remind me again why you brought a plastic flotation device with you?"

"Flotation device? It's called a floatie, Bunny-chan."

"Regardless, I still don't see why you need to wear it on your waist."

"I can't swim! What do you want me to do? Drown?"

"It makes it harder for me to wrap my arm around you! I can't believe you just made me say that! I was trying to hint around it subtly."

"Oh. Well, you're not very good at it."

"Yeah, or maybe you're just stupid."

Kotetsu frowned. "You know, you're not acting very cure right now either, Bunny."

"My name's not Bunny-"

"Oh, don't start that again. You never want to be called 'Bunny' when we fight. Loose the attitude, for crying out loud. Or is this _still _about last night?"

Barnaby looked down, giving Kotetsu all the more reason to believe that he was right.

"Oooh, what happened last night?" Nathan squealed excitedly.

Barnaby and Kotetsu flashed their heads up to see everyone standing in the doorway.

"H-how long have you all been standing there…?" Kotetsu asked, flustered.

"Long enough." Karina, who was in a black bikini, put her hand on her hip with an annoyed look on her face.

"Come on in, you guys! Enjoy the party!" Pao-Lin, in a very conservative yellow and black one piece quickly grabbed a hold of Barnaby's hand, while Ivan grabbed Kotetsu's.

"Nice to see you again, Tiger-san!" he smiled, wearing purple swim trunks.

"The same to you…"

The boys were escorted through Karina's living room and into the pool area, where the rest of the heroes were mingling.

"Hey guys, look who's here!" Pao-Lin screamed excitedly, pointing to the new couple.

Keith and Antonio waved, both in their swimming attire.

Karina came out moments later, holding a plate of food and drinks.

"Who's hungry?" she beamed, setting the tray down on a nearby table. "There's plenty for everyone."

Antonio was the first to get up and grab something, but Karina swatted his hand away.

"No no. That one's for Tiger."

"What? Why?"

Karina picked the sandwich up and handed it to Kotetsu. "Because. I put extra mayonnaise on it, just the way he likes it. Right?" she winked at him, making Barnaby feel uneasy.

"Uh… Yeah! Wow, thanks Blue Rose!" Kotetsu bit into it, totally oblivious to Karina's intentions. "How did you know?"

"I follow your _every _move…" she shot Barnaby a snarky glace, then continued. "Plus, it's kinda hard to miss you drenching everything in mayo. I remember this one time, you had a chocolate bar, and-"

"Karina, can I please speak to you for a moment?" Barnaby asked urgently, not even bothering to wait for her answer as he grabbed her wrist and led her to a far away corner.

"What is it, 'Bunny Boy'?"

"Don't call me that."

"Right, right, I'm sorry. I forgot you only like your little boyfriend to call you that. Well let me tell you something. He's not going to be yours for long. I know you're on to me, so just get off. Because now, we're not just rivals in the hero world anymore. We're rivals when it comes to Kotetsu, as well."

"Karina," Barnaby started in a low voice, running out of patience. "I've already won. So just give up. You're still in high school. There's no way he'd fall for someone like you."

"Yes, but I'm also a _girl_, which makes it fair game. I've got the advantage, no matter how you look at it." She flipped her blonde wavy hair over her shoulder, heading back to the party.

_The world works in strange ways, huh?_

**And I probably somehow mis-used the word "snarky". Oh well...**


	7. Nothing Serious

_This whole 'love' thing doesn't get any easier, does it, Bunny?_

"Kaede, dear, there's someone here to see you," her grandmother smiled, as she opened the door for her son and his partner, who were holding balloons and flowers.

"Surprise! Aren't you happy to see me?" Kotetsu grinned, leaning over the hospital bed she was lying in to give her a kiss on her forehead.

"Well, I'm sure glad to see Barnaby, that's for sure! What is he doing here?" her mouth fell open, as she sat up; intently focused on the blonde's presence.

Kotetsu frowned.

"You must be Kaede, right? Nice to meet you," Barnaby greeted, ignoring her last question and flashing a smile. Kaede could hardly contain her excitement.

"I can't believe it! Barnaby Brooks Jr. is in the same room as me!" she squealed, waving her hands up and down frantically.

"Yeah, and so is your father, who you haven't seen in over six months!"

"And whose fault is that?" Kotetsu's mother raised and eyebrow at him as he looked south.

"I've got to tell all my friends!" Kaede quickly reached for her cell phone that was sitting on the counter, texting at about a thousand miles per second.

Barnaby took the phone away from her, and put a finger up against his lips.

"You mustn't tell anyone that you saw me here today, okay? It has to be our little secret. You can keep a secret, can't you Kaede?"

Kaede nodded. "Oh, absolutely!"

"Good," he smiled again, putting the phone back on the counter. "We wouldn't want anyone finding out about this."

"So, Kaede," Kotetsu interrupted, kneeling down and resting his chin on the side of her bed, "How are your injuries?"

"Fine," she said in a snotty tone.

"Was it scary in there with all those flames?"

"It was hot. I don't want to talk about it."

"Well," Kotetsu began, standing up now. "You know papa would have been there to protect you if he could have-"

"Yeah, except that you weren't! You're not a hero, dad. Barnaby, on the other hand," she paused to stare at him affectionately, "He was the one who really came through for me. Oh, that reminds me! I heard you kissed someone before you came to rescue me! Who was it?"

Both Barnaby and Kotetsu exchanged weary glances, as Kaede's grandmother sighed.

"You might as well just tell her the truth."

"The… truth? Dad, what is grandma talking about?"

"Er… well… you see-"

"Your dad and I are dating. There."

Everyone stared wide-eyed at Barnaby, who picked the wrong time to be straight-forward about things.

"Are you kidding me, Bunny? Couldn't you have at least slowly built up to that part?" Kotetsu freaked out, pulling his monochrome hat over his eyes.

"What would be the point of that?"

"Um, maybe because she's _nine_? You just don't get it, do you?"

"You're right. I'm sorry I don't get the point of hiding our relationship, and I never _will_ get it unless you explain it to me."

"But that goes without saying! I shouldn't have to walk you through this-"

"Hey!" Kaede screamed, trying to get their attention. "What's going on? Dad, you're going out with Barnaby?"

"Yes…" he lowered his head, taking his hat off. "I'm sorry. I know how much you liked Barnaby, but-"

"That's not the issue here!" Kaede shouted, and everyone looked at her instantly.

"Um… then what is? Is it because I'm with a man? That can be easily explained…"

"Oh, I'd _love_ for you to explain that one." His mom smirked at Kotetsu, who made a face.

"Then what, Kaede? Tell me what's wrong."

"I think I know why Kaede's upset. It's because you'll be spending all of your free time with Barnaby, instead of her. Right, Kaede?" her grandmother shot her a worried glance, but Kaede just shook her head.

"No! You're wrong! You're **all** wrong! It's not because of any of those! It's because you replaced mom with him!" she took the blanket off of her and got out of bed, running down the halls in nothing but a hospital gown. Kotetsu ran after her, heart broken to hear that _that _was the reason. He could have lived with any other reason in the world.

Just not that one.

Being able to run faster that her, he caught up with his daughter in no time, backing her into a corner. She broke down crying immediately.

"Kaede, look at me," Kotetsu said sternly, holding her shoulders with his hands. She failed to look up, rubbing her eyes and sobbing. He went on regardless. "Nobody is replacing your mother, do you hear me?"

"Then why are you with Barnaby?"

"Because he reminds me so much of Tomoe. He might be the next best thing, but I still love your mom. I always have, and I always will. Barnaby's just someone to keep me busy. It's nothing serious, I promise." He gave her a hug, then released when he heard footsteps approaching them.

"So is that what I am to you? Nothing serious?" Barnaby crossed his arms over his chest, looking quite pissed.

"Bunny! No, it's not like that! I was just saying that to calm her down!"

"What?" shocked, Kaede pushed her dad away. "So which one is it? Don't lie to me! I hate you!" she kicked him in the leg, and then ran back to her room.

"The same goes for me." Barnaby started walking in the other direction.

"Bunny, wait a second! I didn't mean it, I swear!"

"Whether you meant it or not, you still said it. I don't know what's worse: the fact that you tricked me, or the fact that I fell for it." He started to walk again, but Kotetsu ran ahead of Barnaby, standing in front of him.

"You can't leave me."

"And why is that?"

"Because. We rode in the same car together, so if you leave without me, then I have no way of getting back home."

Gritting his teeth, Barnaby threw the keys at him, walking away foreal this time.

_Loving and being loved… It's not the same, is it?_


	8. New Perspective

_Bunny, I still don't know a thing about you…_

"Bunny had a heavy burden to bear, but he always accepted it, no matter what. I loved that about him. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. I wanted to give him the warm, loving family he always wanted, since his real family was no longer around…" Kotetsu put his arm over his eyes, as he lay on Karina's bed. Karina sat beside him, criss-cross applesauce, nodding her head to his every word.

"I've noticed… you're using a lot of past-tense. Why is that?"

Kotetsu sat up, staring at the wall.

"Maybe I don't know what I want. After we went to go see Kaede, my whole perspective of him changed. It's like I never knew him to begin with."

"That's because you didn't. Maybe you should take a break from Barnaby and date someone else?"

"Or maybe not at all," he got up to go pace around the room.

"L-let's not get hasty, here! You can still date, just not-"

"Just not with him, right? Good talking to you, Rose."

"That's not what I-" Before she could even finish, Kotetsu left closing the door to her bedroom. "…meant."

She sighed, plopping face down into her pillow. Minutes later, he came back in, and Karina looked up, overjoyed.

"I forgot my hat…"

Furious, Karina threw his hat in his face, pouting.

He picked it up when it fell to the floor, dusting it off and putting it back on his head. "Not you, too. Why does everyone have to throw things at me?"

"Because you're a jerk! No wonder that little Playboy Bunny got so mad at you!"

"Playboy… _Bunny_?" Kotetsu chuckled. "That's so weird. Don't add things on to his nickname." He sat back down on her bed, as she sat up apple-sauce style again.

They sat in silence for a while, until Karina finally broke it.

"I'm sorry, Kotetsu, but I think I'm going to have to side with Kaede on this one. I'm sure you know just as well as anyone that if you live long enough sooner or later you're going to realize that life isn't just a bed of roses. And trust me, I should know. There's pain and suffering, too. No one can escape from that. I'm guessing Barnaby must have been your escape from losing your wife. But haven't you ever wondered how that would make Kaede feel? She's already lost her mom. I bet she wasn't planning on losing her dad as well."

Just as Kotetsu was about to say something, they both got calls from their PDAs, as it flashed and beeped on their wrists.

"Duty calls," Karina rolled her eyes, jumping off the bed. "Don't forget what I told you." She said, running on ahead of him.

"Jeez. I can't believe I just got lectured but someone who's so much younger than me. What's worse, I can't believe she was right." Kotetsu sighed, running right behind her.

* * *

><p>"Ne, don't you think Tiger and Karina have been getting closer lately?" Pao-Lin noticed, as her and most of the other heroes watched the two talk in a secluded corner of the gym.<p>

"Yeah, I've noticed them spending a lot of time together recently, too…" Antonio scratched his chin, thinking it over.

"I believe it started at her pool party, but… I could be wrong. Ne, what do you think, Emblem-san?" Ivan asked Nathan, curiously.

"First of all, what's with the 'ne'? You guys are starting to act more and more alike each day… Antonio said, as Ivan and Pao-Lin blushed in unison.

"But I do believe they have a point. Ne, Handsome, what's going on between you and Tiger?" Nathan asked Barnaby, as they all turned to look at him.

"Oh, not you too…" Antonio let out a groan, as everyone else awaited an answer from the blond.

"Nothing," he lied, folding his arms over his chest and sending dirty looks over in Kotetsu's and Karina's direction.

"We can see it all over your face, Barnaby. Something's happened." Keith took a small sip from his water bottle then wiped his mouth.

"Nothing gets passed you, huh Mr. King of Heroes?" Barnaby said sarcastically rolling his eyes.

"You're so mean! We're all just a little worried about you, that's all!" Nathan pouted, as the other heroes nodded their heads in agreement.

"Well, I don't think it concerns you, now does it?" Barnaby turned to leave, catching Kotetsu's attention.

"Excuse me for a moment, Blue Rose," he said, running after Barnaby.

Karina made a face and sighed, knowing that it couldn't be helped.

"Bunny!" he called, running in front of Barnaby.

"Can I help you?" Barnaby asked, rather annoyed.

"Listen, I know you're mad about what I said yesterday, and I would be too, but if you'd just give me another chance-"

"If I gave you another chance, you'd just keep making the same mistakes, and you'd never learn."

"I've learned that I can't live without you." Kotetsu said in a serious tone. That caught Barnaby off guard, and Kotetsu noticed. Taking advantage of that, he continued. "I've told you before that I didn't mean any of the stuff I told Kaede. You were the one who chose not to listen to me-"

"That's because unlike you, I don't enjoy being deceived by people!" Barnaby shouted, and all the other heroes looked to see what was going on. Kotetsu then threw his hands in the air out of frustration.

"What are you talking about? Who am _I _being deceived by?"

Barnaby pointed a finger at Karina, as everyone else followed it.

Karina made a puzzled face, both offended and confused at the same time. "Who, me?"

"Yes, you!" Barnaby mocked, in her same high-pitched tone. She marched over to him then, standing on her toes so that she could reach his eye level.

"And what is it exactly that I'm doing wrong? How am I deceiving him? What is it your business anyway, Bunny?"

"Don't call me that!" Barnaby, out of anger, pushed Karina to the ground, leaving everyone else to gasp in horror. "Anything that has to go with Kotetsu is my business! Do you think that you can just step in and try to steal him away from me?"

"Well, it's working…" Karina smirked under her breath, but suddenly stopped when Barnaby grabbed her collar.

"Leave him alone-"

"Or what? I'm not afraid of you. At all. Go hop somewhere else and leave _me_ alone. Kotetsu, too, while you're at it. You seem to be good at that. Haven't you noticed that by **not** being there for him, you're obviously hurting him? If you really loved him, you'd step it up and at least _try_ to hear him out. Come on," she growled, shaking out of his grip. "Use those long bunny ears of yours and try _listening_ to him once in a while!"

Barnaby rubbed his temples, taking deep breaths. "I don't need this right now. You're being childish. Then again, I am talking to a _child_ to begin with."

"Please," she put her hands on her hips. "I'm just getting started."

"No, Rose, you're not." Kotetsu stepped in, putting a hand on Karina's shoulder. "I can handle this."

"There's nothing to handle," without looking at Kotetsu once, Barnaby headed for the exit.

_It's like I'm meeting you for the first time every single day…_


	9. Lead By Example

**~hello, I am here again. *yoroshiku* ok so looking back, i wrote these characters to be a bit.. wonky.. but! After so many years I have decided to continue writing this. To keep the flow of the story I will have them written in the same wonky fashion as my younger self wrote them to be. Expect a new chapter every month or so.**

_Hey, Kotetsu… for the longest time, I thought it would be best to follow in your footsteps for a while, but…_

"Hey, Bunny, I'm starting to see a pattern here!" Kotetsu ran after the blonde, but the blonde only ran faster.

"Bunny, gimme a break! At least hear me out-"

"No!" Barnaby blurted, "I'm done with listening to you! It only makes things worse!" he stopped running, sinking against a wall, as Kotetsu slowly made his way over. He looked up at the older man, his face no longer angry, but instead it was now replaced with sorrow. Kotetsu noticed.

"Bunny…"

"I don't want to go back to that time…"

"What… time…?"

"I… I don't want to go back to feeling unwanted… I need help, Kotetsu… I've lost everything. I don't want you to be included in that 'everything'. I want you to stay right here. I need to know that you're going to be there for me."

Kotetsu's eyes crinkled, taking a long listen to Barnaby's words. He cleared his throat, & opened his eyes once again.

"Okay."

"Okay… what?"

"Okay," Kotetsu said again, "I'll do that for you."

"Do what for me? Whatever it is, I won't believe you unless you show me…" Looking down for a moment, Barnaby crossed his arms over his chest. "Actions speak louder than words. I mean, what kind of person do you take me for?"

It grew silent for a moment. Finally, Kotetsu said something. "I'll admit, I'm not the best person for you to be dating-"

"Yeah, tell me something I don't know…" rolling his eyes, he stood up.

Kotetsu stiffened, but continued, "Which is why I suggest we take a break."

Now Barnaby was the one to stiffen, his expression growing cold. "& what is that supposed to mean?!"

"Come on, Bunny! Whaddaya want me to do, spell it out for you? You & I both know this isn't gonna work!"

"How can you be so sure? We haven't even tried yet! So that's it, you're just gonna toss me aside without a second thought? You're not even gonna fight for me? I said I wanted you to be there for me! You're not exactly off to a great start!"

All Kotetsu could do was nod. "You're right. But sometimes, walking away is the best option for these kinds of things."

"Says who?! All you're doing now is letting her win!" Barnaby shouted, pointing in the direction from which they came.

"Who, Blue Rose? Nah, she's got nothin' to do with this, Bunny!"

"No. No, she's got **everything** to do with this. & you just gave her what she wanted." Clenching his fists, Barnaby let out a sharp sigh, making his way toward the exit.

* * *

><p>"So, how's life without Barnaby?" Karina sounded very cheerful on the other side of the phone.<p>

"Mpfffh—"

"What? Hey, are you eating something? Chew your food first, doofus! & _then _talk."

"Sorry…" he cleared his throat, putting his spoon down. "I'd really rather not talk about it."

She ignored him, going on to talk about it anyway. "Tiger, listen, this is a good thing, really. All of this is. I mean, look at you! You're way too good for him. He's always acting like he's got a stick up his ass or something."

He chuckled to himself. "Right. Or something…"

Karina frowned. "Gross."

Kotetsu took another spoonful of fried rice in his mouth.

"So? What's the game plan?"

"Don't have one."

" & Why not? You need to be thinking of other people to take his place now that he's out of the picture."

Kotetsu almost choked. "You're kidding. I don't want anyone else but him! Nobody can replace him! We're taking a break, not separating forever!" he held his hand out, making a quick glance at his wedding ring.

"Maybe I made a mistake…"

"What? With breaking up with Barnaby? I'd say that was the best choice you ever made."

Kotetsu's eyebrows pulled together. "Y'know, I can't really tell if you've been helping me out all this time or not…" He shook his head, letting go of the thought. "I'll talk to you later, Rose."

"Hey wait a sec-!" *click*

"Call Antonio," he commanded into his smartphone, as it proceeded to call, flashing a screen that said "Calling Antonio" with a picture of a bull as the caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Hey. It's me. Got a minute?"

* * *

><p>"So, what's this all about? Whenever you come over, you always end up getting drunk &amp; the next morning we end up in the same bed together &amp; you never remember what you did the night before."<p>

"Well I would know if you'd just tell me when I asked!" Kotetsu huffed, crossing his legs on Antonio couch.

"Some things I just can't bring myself to say out loud. Let's just say you're a very touchy-feely kind of guy." Antonio sipped his beer, setting it down on the counter, trying to get the image out of his head. Not that he was complaining…

"So I'll ask you again: what's this all about? I'm assuming it's about blondie, but nowadays with you I can never be sure."

Kotetsu sighed, looking glum. "Me & Bunny broke up."

"Ah. Can't say I didn't see that one comin'."

Kotetsu shot him a glance. "Excuse me."

"Well, y'know, he just seemed so high maintenance. Plus I never saw you as the type to hook up with blonds-"

"Would you forget about his hair color for a second!" his nostrils flared, getting heated. "Bunny's much more than that! He's much more than just looks & appearances! Why am I the only one who sees it?"

"Maybe it's because you're the only one he's allowed to get so close to him." Antonio took another sip of beer.

"Bunny's very hard to get to know-"

"Yeah, no kiddin'."

Rolling his eyes, he continued. "But that never stopped me. If anything, I saw it as a challenge."

"So the challenge was accepted, you won, & then you throw away the prize? I don't get you."

Kotetsu grew silent, making glances at his wedding ring every now & then. Antonio noticed.

"You still love her. I know that's not a question, but is that the reason you ended things with pretty boy?"

Grinding his teeth together, he stood up, grabbing his jacket. "I think I finally figured out what I need to do. I'm pretty pissed it took me this long to figure it out, but that can't be helped now. Thanks, Antonio!" Kotetsu made his exit out of Antonio's house, reaching in his pocket to grab the keys to his car.

"Hey! You could have at least shut the door!"

_Now on second thought, why would I wanna go & do that…?_


	10. How To Love

_Even though I'm as incapable as I am, Kotetsu, you know I would give you the world if I could._

**-beep beep beep beep-**

"Nnngh.. what..t time is it.."rubbing his head, Barnaby sat up & opened his phone, not bothering to see who it was.

"Listen, I don't know who you are, but if you have the indecency to call me at this hour, then you must really be-"

"Bunny, it's one in the afternoon!"

"Wha.." he turned to look at his digitalclook, which read 1:04pm. "How did I oversleep..?" that question he already knew the answer to. When one loses the person they love, it's kinda hard to drift off into slumber land. Last night really took a toll on him. Flipping channels, constantly pacing the empty apartment, the apartment that was once filled with Kotetsu's laugh, his presense, his-

"Who knows, but you sound damn sexy when you're tired."

That brought Barnaby back to his senses, making him more alert & awake. "Just what are you calling me for anyway? I thought we were over."

"Can't I call just to check up on you?"

His heart fluttered for a moment, then stilled, remebering all the pain he had caused him. "Goodbye, Kotetsu."

"Wait minute! Its always the same thing with you! Just what are you running away from-"

"You know exactly what I'm running away from." Barnaby said harshly. "& you & I both know that this is not exactly the best timing. So why don't you just fill me in on what exactly you plan on doing with me any longer."

A deep sigh could be heard from the other end. _'Well, _that_ shut him up.'_ His eyes rolled, as he shifted underneath the covers.

"Just get dressed. I've got someone I want you to meet."

"& what makes you think I'd wanna go anywhere with you?"

"If you loved me you would."

* * *

><p>Stares. Nothing but stares as the two men, former lovers, made their way towards each other for the first time since they broke up.<p>

"How are you doing?"

"Oh please, don't pretend like you care."

Kotetsu scratched his beard. "For some reason you sounded sexier on the phone.."

Barnaby's eye twitched. "Can we just get on with this stupid thing already!"

"Lose the 'tude, first! Not everything is my fault, y'know!"

"Sure about that..?" he mumbled, making his way onto the train.

Kotetsu followed, smiling a bit. "I'm glad you trust me enough to let me take you somewhere without me even telling you where we're going."

After hearing that, Barnaby got up from his seat, about to make an exit, but Kotetsu held him back.

"Whoa there Bunny, not so fast."

Bothof them looked at each other for a long time.

"I.. I already payed for your ticket, so.."

Rolling his eyes, Barnaby sat back down once again, mentally kicking himself for expecting Kotetsu to say something romantic.

After about an hour, the train stopped. As passengers quickly made their way off, Kotetsu & Barnaby were the only ones left, having both fallen asleep on each other. Then suddenly Barnaby awoke, sitting upright, while leaving his partner to suddenly hit the floor.

"Ouch! What in the-!" he looked around, rubbing his shoulder. "Are we.. are we here..?"

"Yeah."

"Then what the hell am I doing on the floor?!"

"I don't know,you should ask yourself that question."

"Jeez, it's always the same thing with you, Bunny.." slowly, he got up & made his way off the train, with Barnaby following.

"Ok. Now what?"

Kotetsu just kept on walking, leading the way.

"Hey old man, where are we going?"

Still no answer, as Kotetsu kept moving,

"So you're just gonna keep me in the dark, is that right?"

Silence, as they advanced forward. Finally Barnaby got tired of yelling, & just went with the flow. That is, until..

"Wait.. Kotetsu.. why exactly are we in a cemetery..? This doesn't make sense."

Smiling faintly, Kotetsu held his hand out to him.

"I don't like where this is going."

"Why should you even have a reason to hesitate."

"Because this whole day has been sketchy & I haven't exactly been filled in on anything at all whatsoever."

Another long stare off.

Barnaby took the older man's hand, giving in. Passing several dozen tombstones, they finally made their way to the right one. Barnaby was too distracted by the hand holding to realize they had stopped walking, a little bit startled when Kotetsu spoke.

"Tomoe.. please forgive me.."

Barnaby let go of his hand after the first sentence came out of his mouth, a look of horror on his face, but Kotetsu payed him no mind.

"I haven't come to see you in a while. The truth is, I wanted to come back to you during my proudest moment, when I finally had something worth while to share with you.

Being a hero is hard work. It never slows down & you never get a chance to catch your breath. I never stopped being a hero. I continued to fight to save people, even during your last breath.. but I don't regret it. I don't regret anything. Because being a hero allowed me to keep my promise to you. & being a hero allowed me to meet him," Kotetsu put a hand on Barnaby's shoulder, smiling. "I love him. He's more to me than just my partner. He's my everything. Without him, well, let's be honest, I'd be another washed up hero. A lonely old man. Probably retired by now. But thanks to him, I'm not. & even though he can be bratty sometimes, he also is very bright. You two would have gotten along so well. I hope you can get to know him more as time passes-"

"But what if I don't want to get to know her..?"

Kotetsu blinked, trying his best to comprehend the last sentence he heard. "I just.."

"You brought me all the way here for this? You were thinking that this would solve everything, right?" How does me meeting your wife solve anything?! In fact.." he knew he would regret this but decided to continue anyway, "she's just another person to be jealous of.."

_What more can I give you that she hasn't already..?_


End file.
